A member of the team working for Zohran Mamdani, a socialist candidate running for Mayor of New York City, expressed sympathy for Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of United Healthcare CEO, as reported by the Daily Mail.

In a Facebook post dated December 29, 2024, Mamdani’s political director, Julian Gerson, mentioned his anticipation of driving down Mangione Avenue many years later.

Through social media posts obtained by the Daily Mail, it was revealed that Gerson made this comment in response to a remark following the sharing of a personal essay discussing the impact of Mangione’s actions on public discussions following the alleged murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.

In his essay, Gerson concluded that Manginone ‘is adored not only because he dared to target a leader of one of the most vile, self-enriching industries darkening our society today, but because he dared to defy the stasis of nihilistic rejection.’

‘The question is not whether he was right or wrong. It’s how many others he has shaken loose,’ Gerson concluded.

Per Gerson’s LinkedIn page, which bears the same profile photograph as his Facebook profile, he has worked for Mamdani’s mayoral campaign since March.

Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Mail about Gerson’s post.

Mangione became a global phenomena due to the fascination around his privileged background and Hollywood good looks. For many on the left, he morphed into a vessel for radical rebellion against a system of economic injustice. 

Mangione remains in custody and federal prosecutors have chosen to seek the death penalty if he’s convicted.

Gerson noted that Mangione could be useful as ‘an avatar for understanding millions of Americans growing dangerously aloof, isolating from others and themselves, and increasingly vindictive towards a world that feels more exclusionary and predetermined by the day.’

Gerson has previously worked for number of New York Democrats, including as a speechwriter for Governor Kathy Hochul.  

Gerson also spent time in Washington, DC, working as a staffer for Congressman Jerry Nadler and the House Judiciary Committee.

Per polling released by Emerson College Monday, Mamdani closely trails former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary race for mayor, garnering 32% to Cuomo’s 35%.  

However, Mamdani emerged as the ultimate winner in a ranked choice voting simulation of 8 rounds, where voters could rank their top five candidates.

Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling notes that ‘over five months, Mamdani’s support has surged from 1% to 32%, while Cuomo finishes near where he began. In the ranked-choice simulation, Mamdani gains 18 points compared to Cuomo’s 12, putting him ahead in the final round for the first time in an Emerson poll.’ 

The first day of early voting was June 14th, and Emerson’s polling also found that Mamdani holds a 10-point lead over Cuomo among voters who have already cast their ballots.

The mayoral primary is Tuesday.